Ota Ward, Tokyo, on Friday started accepting applications from residents and businesses to let rooms or homes to visitors as a way to alleviate hotel shortages amid an increasing number of foreign tourists.
The ward, home to Haneda airport, Japan's largest air hub, is taking the lead in opening the door to a relatively new form of hosting tourists in Japan, taking advantage of deregulation measures targeting designated regions. It could start approving hosts in mid-February.
An increasing number of private citizens in Japan have been renting rooms and apartments through online services such as Airbnb. But the practice has caused problems, such as concerns that it violates the hotel business law as well as trouble with neighbors about noise and garbage disposal.